Metal-bending machine



N0. 7l3,894. Patented Nov. [8, I902.

W. W. MACFARREN.

METAL SENDING MACHINE. (Applicatio n Bled Jan. 7, 1902,

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Patented Nov. l8, I902.

W. W. .MACFARREN.

METAL BENDING MACHINE.

Applicttion filed Jun. '7, l902.| v

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(No Model.)

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WALTER W. MAOFARREN, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

METAL-SENDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. v713,894, dated November18, 1902.

Application filed January 7, 1902. Serial No. 88,738. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, WALTER W. MACFAR- BEN, a resident of Pittsburg, inthe county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Metal-Bending Machines; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof.

My invention relates to metal-bending machines, and more especially tomachines for forminga longitudinal bend in plate metalsuch, forinstance, as soft-steel plates.

The objects of my invention are to provide a machine for this purposewhich is adapted to longitudinally bend plates of considerable length,which will bend such plates with a minimum amount of power, and which isadapted to bend plates of various thicknesses and to form a flange orflanges thereon of any desired width and at various angles.

Further objects of myinvention are to provide a plate-bending machinewhich is simple in construction, strong and efficient in operation, andwhich can be easily operated.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse vertical sectionthrough the machine. Fig. 2 is a front View of one section thereof,parts being broken away. Fig. 3 is a plan View of one section thereof.Fig. 4 is an enlarged front View showing several sections of themachine. Fig. 5 is a side view of the first bending-roller and itssupporting means. Fig. 6 is asimilar view of the second roller. Fig. 7is a top view of the third roller, and Fig. 8 is a detail section of amodified form of anvil.

My machine, as above stated, is especially designed for bending metalplates of considerable length, and as a consequence the 'machine will bebuilt quite long, and in the accompanying drawings I have shown only aportion of such machine; but as the remainder is simply a duplication ofthe parts shown it will bereadily understood.

The machine as a whole comprises a series of frames or housings 1, whichin number will depend upon the length of the machine and which willbeset a suitable distance apart, four such housings being shown in Fig. 4;but in a commercial machine probably never less than five such housingswould be employed. These housings are substantially C-shaped,

as shown in Fig. 1, and they are united by the top and bottom rack-rails2 and 3 and the rear thrust or backing rail 4. These rails connect thevarious housings together longitudinally and also serve as guiding andfeeding means for the bending devices, as will hereinafter appear. I

On the forward lower arm of the housings is provided a suitable seat 5for receiving the bearing-block 6, upon which the anvil 7 is mounted.This anvil 7 maybe in a single piece running the entire length of themachine or in sections extending for one or more sections of themachine, so as to form practically a contin uous anvil. As shown, thebearing or saddle blocks 6 are provided with concaved seats forreceivingaconvexlug 8 on the anvil 7, and between the saddle-blocks 6and anvil both in front of and in the rear of the convex projection 8are wed ge-blocks 9, which are adjustable by any suitable means, such asthe screw or bolt 10. By means of these adjustable wedges the positionof the'anvil 7. can be accurately regulated to compensate for the springof the plate. This anvil 7 is readily removable, as shown, so that itcan be replaced by an anvil of a different shape in order to permit thebending of plates to different angles. As shown in Fig. l of thedrawings, the anvil is of such shape that a right-angle bend will begiven to the plate; but by using an anvil having an angle of either moreor less than. ninety degrees bends of various angles may be given to theplate. In Fig. 8 the anvil 7 is so shaped as to give a bend of sixtydegrees. I

The plate 11 to be bent is placed upon the top face of the anvil 7 withits edge projecting inward beyond the inner face thereof. To hold .it inplace, some suitable clamping device must be used, and for this purposeI have shown the clamping-bars 12, each of said bars being of suchlength as to extend by a single pipe 15 to a convenient source ofpressure, and a single valve 16 is placed at a Ill convenient place, sothat all of the powercylinders can be simultaneously actuated.

. As the action of these cylinders may not be exactly simultaneous, Iprefer to pivot the clamping-bars to the piston-rods and make saidclamping-bars in sections, as shown, instead of having a single barextending for the full length of the machine. The power-cylinders 14may, if desired, be made doubleacting, so as to elevate as well as todepress the clamping-bars but I prefer to make them single-acting and toelevate the clampingbars by extending the piston-rods through the upperheads of the cylinders and surround the same by suitable helical springs17, so that as soon as the water or other pressure in the cylinders 14is released these springs will draw the piston-rods upward, and thuselevate the clamping-bars.

It will be readily perceived that if it were attempted to bend the fulllength of a long plate at a single stroke or operation it would requirea great amount of power. To enable this to be done with less power andby a less costly machine, I bend only a portion of the length of theplate at one time and continue this bending progressively andpractically continuously from end to end of the plate. For this purposeI provide a bending device or devices which will engage the projectingedge of the plate and bend the same at an angle to the body thereof andcause such bending device or devices to travel along the length of theplate to progressively bend the same from end to end. I have shown forsuch bending device a series of bending-rollers, three such rollersbeing shown, although eithermore or less might be employed, as necessaryor desired. These rollers are shown on the drawings at 20, 21, and 22,and they are mounted upon a carriage 23, which travels on the rails 2,3, and 4. This carriage may be propelled along the machine by anysuitable mechanism-as, forinstance, by a powerful hydraulic or otherpower cylinder-having its pistonrod connected to said carriage or byhaving a rackbar connected thereto which is engaged by a gear driven byapowerful engine or motor. I prefer, however, to make the carriageentirely self-contained, and I therefore mount the motors directly on'the carriage. Any suitable form of motor might be used; but an electricmotor possesses various advantages and conveniences that make itespecially desirable for this purpose. I have shown in the drawings twosuch motors 24 and 25, although a single motor might be employed. Thesemotors are mounted upon the carriage in any preferred manner, as bybeing set upon the ledge or shelf 26. mature-shaft of each of thesemotors is provided with a pinion 27, which is connected by means ofgears 28, 29 30, and 31 to the driving-wheels 32. These wheels 32 areprovided with plain faces 33, which bear upon the smooth portions of therack-rails 2 and 3,

and having between said faces the gear-teeth The ar 35, which mesh withsimilar teeth 36 on the rack-rails. It will be readily understood thatthe electric motors through the gearing described will propel thecarriage along the rack-rails. and the driving-wheels is of a compoundtype, so that a very large increase of power is obtained. Current may beconducted to the motors by any suitable means-such, for instance, as aflexible cord; but I prefer to use practically a trolley, and for thispurpose have shown conducting wires or rails 37 and 38, extendinglongitudinally of the machine and suitably insulated from the housings1, upon which bear suitable trolleys or brushes 39, electricallyconnected to the motors.

To hold the bending devices firmly against the anvil, I secure to therear of the carriage one or more wheels or rollers 40, which bearagainst the thrust or backing rail 4 and prevent the carriage fromyielding or moving away from the anvil. These wheels 40 are journaled insuitable hearings or housings 41 and arepreferably flanged, as shown, soas to straddle-the thrust-rail 4. The bendingrollers 20, 21, and 22 areeach mounted in a suitable bearing or bracket 43, and said rollers areset at diiferent angles, so as to progressively bend the plate to thedesiredextent. As shown in the drawings, the first roller is set at anangle of thirty degrees from the horizontal, the second roller 21 at anangle of sixty (60) degrees, and the third roller 22 at an angle ofninety (90) degrees. These rollers when arranged as shown in thedrawings will bend the projecting edge of the plate at an angle ofninety (90) degrees to the body thereof; but of course the degree ofthis bend can be varied as desired by having the rollers set at thedesired angles. For instance, should it be desired to bend theprojecting edge of the plate to an angle of but sixty (60) degrees thethird roller 22 could be dispensed with and the other two rollers madeto bend the plate to the desired degree. The same result may be securedby using three rollers, set respectively at angles of twenty, (20,)forty, and sixty degrees. It will be understood that in case the plateis to bend at an angle ofsixty degrees the anvil 7, shown in thedrawings, will be replaced by The gearing between the motor one havingthe proper shape, as shown in Fig. I

8. The bearings or brackets 43 in which the bending rollers are mountedare readily removable, so that they can be replaced by others which willhold the rollers at the desired angles, and they furthermore are madeadjustable, so as to adapt the machine to plates of difierentthicknesses. For this purpose the first two rollers 20 and 21 need beadjusted only vertically, while the rear rollers 22 must be adjustedboth vertically and horizontally. The vertical adjustment of all thesebrackets is secured by mounting them on suitable ways or slides 44,preferably beveled, as shown, and adjusting the brackets up and down onsaid ways by means of suitable screws 45, passing through ears or lugs46. To clamp brackets in the adjusted position, they are provided withslots 47, preferably four in number, through which pass clamping-bolts48. The horizontal adjustment of the roller 22- is secured, preferably,by providing the pin 50, on which said roller is journaled, with top andbottom portions 51, whichare eccen-.

tric to the body thereof, said eccentric portions being mounted insuitable openings in the bracket 43. Suitable clamping-nuts 52 are usedfor holding said journal-pin in its adjusted position. By merely turningthis pin the axis of the roller 22 will be moved toward or from theanvil 7, so as to allow a space between said roller and the'anvil equalto the thickness of the plate to be bent. The roller 22 is alsopreferably provided at its upper end with the flange 54, the face ofwhich is preferably round, so as to give a curve to the angle in theplate.

The machine, as above described, is suitable for bending metal plates ofvarious thicknesses and lengths and to various angles, the

bends being either straightlines or combinations of straight lines. By aslight variation in the construction of the machine it will be possibleand practicable to bend plates to curved lines or combinations of curvedand straight lines. For instance, if the anvil be made with a flat top,as described, and its inner vertical face a section of the convexsurface of a vertical cylinder and the rack and thrust rails be curvedto be concentric therewith, and maintained an even distance from theinner face of the anvil throughout the length of the machine, thenflanges or parts of the plate being bent will be curved. In short, ifthe anvil and the thrust and rack rails are always parallel orconcentric almost any curve or outline may be bent within practicallimits.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The anvil 7 andbending-rollers having been adjusted to the desired thickness of plateto be bent and to the desired angle to be given to said plate, theplate, either cold or heated, as desired or necessary, is placed on thean vil 7 with its inner edge projecting beyond said anvil a distanceequal to the desired width of the flange. Power is then applied to thecylinders 14 to bring the clamping-bars 12 down upon the plate andfirmly clamp the same on the anvil. The carriage 23 will of course be toone side of the forward end of the plate and the projecting edge at thisend ing-rollers close up to the anvil, so as to bend the plate at justthe proper line and to the desired extent. During this bending therollers will each bend the plate a portion of the distance, and as thispressure is being applied at only three points along the length of theplate it will be readily seen that by a comparatively small amount ofpower applied during a considerable timethat is, the time that it takesthe carriage 23 to travel the length of the plate-a plate ofconsiderable thickness can be bent. The machine will of course have tobe made long enough so that a space equal to the length of the carriage23 is left at each end beyond the ends of the plate being bent.

The machine as above illustrated and described is adapted for bendingeither hot or cold plates. It is desirable whenever possible to do thebending While the plates are cold, so as to save the expense of heatingthe same and to facilitate their handling; but if very heavy plates areto be bent they may be heated in order to reduce the amount of powernecessary to do the bending, and thus enable the same machine to bendplates having a great range of thicknesses, it being built, forinstance, with capacity to bend up to a certain thickness on cold platesand a much greater thickness on hot plates. It will be readilyunderstood that the amount of power required to bend a plate of anygiven thickness depends on the degree of the bend, or, in-other words,the distance through which the force is applied. In other words, it willrequire approximately double the power to bend a plate to an angle ofninety degrees that it will require to bend the same plate to an angleof forty-five degrees. The machine is so constructed that it willcomplete the bend along the whole or that portion of the length of theplate to be bent at a single stroke of the carriage. However, from theabove considerations with regard to power it will be apparent that whenit is desired to bend very heavy plates while cold, which the capacityof the machine would render impossible to bend at one stroke of thecarriage, such plates may be bent by several consecutive strokes, eachstroke bending the plate through a part of the required distance only,and thus requiring only a fraction of the power required to complete thebend at one stroke. This may be done by several strokes all in onedirection, the carriage returning idly, to the starting-point betweensuch strokes or, preferably, it may be done by alternate strokes inopposite directions, the carriage working to and fro along the plate, sothat no time is lost. In these cases it will be necessary'to provide thebending devices or rollers with power-adjustments which will bring themcloser to the anvil after each Working stroke before the next one iscommenced.

The machine as constructed is strong, efficient, and very simple tooperate. I do not wish to be limited to the precise means shown 'formoving the bending devices along the to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a plate-metal-bending machine, the combination with ailongitudinalanvil and clamp for holding the plate with its edge projecting beyondthe anvil, of a device arranged at the side of the anvil for engagingthe projecting edge of the plate and bending it against the side of theanvil at an angle to the body of the plate, and mechanism for movingsaid bending device longitudinally along the machine to progressivelybend the plate.

2. In a plate-metal-bending machine, the combination with an anvil andclamp for holding the plate with its edge projecting beyond the anvil,of two or more devices arranged at different angles at the side of theanvil to engage the projecting edge of the plate and bend it against theside of the anvil at an angle tothe body of the plate, and mechanism formoving said bending devices along the plate to progressively bend thesame.

3. In a plate-metal-bending machine, the combination with an anvil andclamp for holding the plate with its edge projecting beyond the anvil,of ways parallel to the anvil,

a carriage traveling on said ways, mecha nism for moving said carriagealong the ways, and a device on said carriage arranged to engage theprojecting edge of the plate and progressively bend it against the edgeof the anvil at an'angle to the body of the plate.

4. In a plate-metal-bending machine, the combination with a longitudinalanvil and clamp for holding the plate with its edge proj ecting beyondthe anvil, of a roller arranged at the side of the anvil for engagingthe projecting edge of the plate and bending it against the side of theanvil at an angle to the body of the plate, and mechanism for movingsaid roller longitudinally along the plate to progressively bend thesame.

5. In a plate-metal-bending machine, the combination with an anvil andclamp for holding the plate with its edge projecting beyond the anvil,of two or more rollers mounted at diiferent angles and arranged toengage the projecting edge of the plate and bend the same against theside of the anvil at an angle to the bodyof the plate, and mechanism formoving said rollers along the plate to progressively bend the same.

6. In a plate-metal-bending machine, the combination with an anvil andclamp for bolding the plate withits edge projecting beyond the anvil, ofways parallel to the anvil, a carriage traveling on said ways, mechanismfor moving said carriage along said Ways, and two or more rollersmounted on said carriage at diiterent angles and arranged to engage theprojecting edge of the plate and progressively bend the same against theedge of the anvil at an angle to the body of the plate.

7. In a plate-metal-bending machine, the combination with an anvil andclamp for holding the plate with its edge projecting beyond the anvil,of two or more devices arranged at diiferent angles at theside of theanvil to engage the projecting edge of the plate and bend the sameagainst the side of the anvil at an angle to the body of the plate,means for adjusting said devices, and mechanism for moving said devicesalong the plate to progressively bend the same.

8. In a plate-metal-bending machine, the combination with an an vil andclamp for holding the plate with its edge projecting beyond the anvil,of two or more rollers arranged at different angles and adapted toengage the projecting edge of the plate and bend it against the side ofthe anvil at an angle to the body of the plate, mechanism for movingsaid rollers along the plate, and means for adjusting said rollers toadapt them'to plates of various thicknesses.

9. In a plate-metal-bending machine, the combination, with an anvil andclamp forhold ing the plate, of Ways parallel to the anvil, a

carriage mounted on said ways, mechanism for moving said carriage alongsaid ways, two

or more bending devices mounted on said,

carriage and arranged to engage the projecting edge of the plate andbend the same progressively at an angle to the body thereof, means foradjusting said devices vertically, and means for adjusting the last ofsaid devices horizontally.

10. In a plate-metal bending machine, the combination with an anvil andclamp for bolding'the plate, of ways parallel to the anvil, a carriagemounted on said ways, mechanism for moving said carriage along saidways, two

or more rollers mounted on said carriage and arranged to engage theprojecting edge of the plate and bend it at an angle to the bodythereof, means for adjusting said rollers vertically on said carriage,and an eccentric-pin on which the last of said rollers is journaled foradjusting the same horizontally.

11. In a plate-metal-bending machine, the combination with an anvil andclamp for holding the plate, of ways parallel to the anvil, a carriagemounted on said ways, mechanism for moving said carriage along saidways, a

device on said carriage arranged to engage the plate and bend it at anangle, a backing rail or way on the frame of the machine, and backing orthrust rollers on the carriage opposite the bending devices and bearingagainst said rail.

12. Ina plate-metal-bending machine, the combination with an anvil andclamp for hold ing theplate, of ways parallel to the anvil, a carriagemounted on said ways, a device on the carriage arranged to engage theplate and bend it at an angle, a motor on the carriage,

a rack or racks secured to the frame, and gearing between said motor andrack.

13. In a plate-metal-bending machine, the combination with an anvil andclamp for holding the plate, of ways parallel to the anvil, a carriageon said Ways, a device on the carriage arranged to engage the plate andbend it at an angle, a backing rail or way on the frame, apressure-roller on the carriage opposite the bending devices and bearingagainst said rail, a motor on the carriage, a rack or racks secured tothe frame, and gearing between said motor and rack.

14. In a plate-metal-bending machine, the combination with an anvil andclamp for holding the plate, of top and bottom rack-rails secured to theframe, a rear pressure or backing rail on said frame, a carriage movingon said rails and provided with rollers for engaging the backingrail andwith toothed wheels for engaging the rack-rails, a motor on saidcarriage, gearing intermediate the motor and toothed wheels, and two ormore devices on the carriage opposite the backingrol ler arranged toengage the projecting edge of the plate and progressively bend the sameat an angle to the body thereof.

15. In a plate-metal-bending machine, the combination with a removableand interchangeable anvil and a clamp for holding the plate with itsedge projecting beyond the anvil, of a device arranged at the side ofthe anvil for engaging the projecting edge of the plate and bending itagainst the side of the anvil at an angle to the body of the plate, andmechanism for moving said bending device along the plate toprogressively bend the same.

16. In a plate-metal-bending machine, the combination with an anvil, ofmeans for adjusting the same, a clamp for holding the plate against theanvil with its edge projecting beyond the same, a device arranged toengage the projecting edge of the plate and bend it against the side ofthe anvil at an angle to the body of the plate, and mechanism for movingsaid bending device along the plate to progressively bend the same.

17. In a plate-metal-bending machine, the combination with an anvil, ofmeans for adjusting the same, a clamp for holding the plate against saidanvil with its edge projecting beyond the same, an adjustable rollerarranged to engage the projecting edge of the plate and bend the sameagainst the side of the anvil at an angle to the body of the plate, andmechanism for moving said roller along the plate to progressively bendthe same.

18. In a plate-metal-bending machine, the combination with a removableand interchangeable anvil and clamp for holding the plate with its edgeprojecting beyond the anvil, of a carriage carrying two or more rollersat different-angles for engaging the projecting edge of the plate andbending the same against the side of the anvil at an angle to the bodyof the plate, and mechanism for moving said carriage along the plate.

19. In a plate-metal-bending machine, the combination with an anvil, ofa clamping-bar for clamping the plate against the anvil with its edgeprojecting beyond the same, powercylinders for actuating said bar, acontrollingvalve common to all said cylinders, a device for engaging theprojecting edge of the plate and bending it against the side of theanvil at an angle to the body of the plate, and mechanism for movingsaid device along the plate to progressively bend the same.

20. In a plate-metal-bending machine, the combination with a series offrames or housings, an anvil mounted thereon, a sectional clamping-bar,power devices on each of the housings and pivotally connected to theends of the sectional clamping-bars, means for simultaneously actuatingall of said power devices, and a device to progressively bend the plate.

21. In a plate-metal-bending machine, the combination with an anvil, ofa clamping-bar for holding the plate, power-cylinders connected to saidclamping-bar, springs for lifting said clamping-bar, a device forengaging the projecting edge of the plate and bending the same at anangle to the body thereof, and mechanism for moving said device alongthe plate to progressively bend the same.

In testimony whereof I, the said WALTER W. MACFARREN, have hereunto setmy hand.

WALTER W. MAOFARREN.

Witnesses:

F. W. WINTER, ROBERT C. TOTTEN.

